Christian Reflection and Prayer

from Our Daily Bread

Scripture:

READ: Acts 1:1-11

While they watched, He was taken up,
and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
Acts 1:9

Reflection:

When the husband of my longtime friend
and publishing colleague collapsed and
later died, there was no doubt that life had
slipped away from him. There were witnesses.
The same was true when Jesus died. But
three days later, Jesus was raised from the
dead! We have no doubt that this is true
because there were witnesses who later
saw Him alive.

When we gathered for Dave’s memorial
service, we read familiar passages of Scripture
that affirm our hope that he is now enjoying
new life in heaven. But we claimed these
promises by faith because none of us
witnessed Dave go to heaven. There was,
however, a witness who saw Jesus in heaven.
Not long after witnesses saw Jesus ascend
(Acts 1:9), Stephen saw the heavens open
“and the Son of Man standing at the right
hand of God!” (7:56). One of the reasons we
know that Jesus spoke the truth about going
to prepare a place for us (John 14:2) is that
He has been seen alive in heaven.

When a loved one goes ahead of us to heaven,
we feel as if we’re being pulled in the opposite
direction—down into an abyss of sadness. Yet,
because God kept His promise to raise Christ
and take Him to heaven, we can trust Him to
do the same for all who love and follow Him.  —
Julie Ackerman Link


The Lord has promised to prepare
A place in heaven above—
A home where we will always be
With Him and those we love. —Sper
.
THE PROMISE OF HEAVEN IS OUR ETERNAL
HOPE

So now I am giving you a new
commandment: Love each other.
Just as I have loved you, you
should love each other. Your love
for one another will prove to the
world that you are my disciples.
John 14:2 NLT


Reflection:

What's your definition of love.
Many people define love in
purely sexual terms.  I see a
lot of that kind definition.  Many
people define love as primarily
a feeling. Often they describe
love in purely emotional terms.
Actually the Bible is kind of an
expert on the definition of love. 
Mainly because love is the
central message of the Scriptures. 
The Bible teaches us that love is
a commitment. As a commitment
love is not dependent on good
feelings, but rather a constant
and very courageous decision to
give of yourself, to commit yourself,
to the well being of another.  This
applies to marrage, to family, to
friends, to neighbors, to all others.
You see this love, this commitment
produces good feelings not the other
way around.
You know you and I are fortunate
indeed, because we have Jesus
Christ.  Jesus became the perfect
demonstration of God's unconditional
love for us by laying down His life
for our benefit.

From "God's Daily Promises"

Scripture:

Jesus said…"I came to bring truth to
the world. All who love the truth recognize
that what I say is true."
John 18:37 NLT

A wife prays for her husband's salvation

After a rather gentle talk [one evening]
about Christianity, [my wife Davy] went
to bed, leaving me lying upon the sofa
in front of the fire reading.…A half hour
passed. I let the book fall and switched
off the lamp. Gazing upon the glowing
coals, I wondered with a strange mixture
of hope and fear whether Christ might be
in very truth my God. Suddenly I became
aware that Davy was praying beside me—
she had stolen into the room in her
nightgown and knelt down by the sofa.
I looked at the quiet figure for a few
moments. I have never seen her pray.
Then she spoke.

"When I was in bed," she said very softly,
"it seemed to me that God was telling me
to come to you. I have prayed to God to
fulfill your soul."

She paused a moment, and then she
whispered: "Oh, my dearest—please believe!"

Moved almost to tears, I whispered back—
a broken whisper, she wrote in the Journal
[the book we both kept of our searching for
God and truth]—I whispered, "Oh, I do believe.
" I was shaken by the affirmation that swept
over me.
"Hold to this moment," she murmured.
"Hold to it when doubts come. This is the
truth—I know it it."
Sheldon Vanauken in A Severe Mercy

Adapted from The Prayer Bible Jean E.
Syswerda, general editor, Tyndale House
Publishers (2003), p 1657.

HAS YOUR SPOUSE EVER SEEN YOU PRAY?
HAVE YOU EVER PRAYED TOGETHER?
PLEASE DO SO AND HOLD ON TO THE MOMENT